Should we allow oilers in the IMPBA sport tunnel class?

[topfuel443]

I am considering a proposal to the IMPBA board to allow onboard oilers in the IMPBA sport tunnel class. Just curious what everyone else thinks.

Just a simple poll. If you answer yes or no, feel free explain why or why not.

~James

 

[Chris Wood]

well james as you know i am not a outboard guy.. I help my buddy from time to time with his.

so with that being said.. i was always under the impression that the stock outboard class was more or less entry level.. or to be considered a cheaper alternative then mod.. i guess for me it is nice to see a class you can buy a boat and motor and be competitive or real close out of the box aka a villan and a os motor.. once you start on rules like this typically it snowballs. i realize this is a pretty small deal that really in all aspect doesn't give a advantage other that cable life. But on the other hand if a oiler come with the villan or other tunnel kits you buy.. then all this is thrown out the window

just my opinon from a none tunnel racer lol!

chris

 

[fred uftring]

I don`t run sport tunnel,but I do run all the other tunnel classes. I vote yes. If you can run a third channel needle then why not an oiler?

 

[Bill Britton]

I don't think that adding an oiler is even needed as 99.9% of the motors used are os's and the oiler is already built into the can.

I think it would turn into something else the entry level racer would think was needed to be competitive, and open the door to even more later.

Just my .02 cents.

 

[John Knight]

Adding an oiler does nothing but add to cable life and longevity to the prop shaft assembly and PTO bearings. It adds no advantage to speed, etc. Just gives an option to those that want one for those reasons. I vote yes. Do not forget it will also apply to the MOD-VP tunnel class which use the very same engine rules.

Bill - I think you will be surprised at next weeks race that this class does NOT have 99+% OS engines running. That did not occur at the tunnel champs in May. Give a few years you may be right but there are some like Robin Stebbins that will never give up his K&B's. But I know of several coming in with no OS engines.

 

[Bob Kensill]

To me it is more of a durability issue. Nothing can spoil a race weekend more than a broken cable. I don't think it makes any speed difference. As far as entry level boaters are concerned,the experienced boater will always have an advantage from trying different things to make the boat faster.

 

[Bill Britton]

Adding an oiler does nothing but add to cable life and longevity to the prop shaft assembly and PTO bearings. It adds no advantage to speed, etc. Just gives an option to those that want one for those reasons. I vote yes. Do not forget it will also apply to the MOD-VP tunnel class which use the very same engine rules.

Bill - I think you will be surprised at next weeks race that this class does NOT have 99+% OS engines running. That did not occur at the tunnel champs in May. Give a few years you may be right but there are some like Robin Stebbins that will never give up his K&B's. But I know of several coming in with no OS engines.

I think you get me wrong...

I am not vehemently opposed, not even somewhat opposed. I really don't have any reason to say no other than it being something else the entry level racer would think they needed to be competitive. As far as me saying that they make up 99% of the class is just the observation here in florida. I do not speak with any authority regarding the percentages anywhere else.

I can just as easily say yes, allow them and be done with it as well.

 

[dave roach]

James

Drilling a hole in the lower unit and putting in a fitting in a K-B lower unit is mod of the lower unit per in rules in impba.

Dave Roach

 

[fishinghole]

All I see it doing is saving alot of parts that aren't getting any cheaper these days. I vote yes!

J. Pflueger

 

[topfuel443]

James

Drilling a hole in the lower unit and putting in a fitting in a K-B lower unit is mod of the lower unit per in rules in impba.

Dave Roach

Dave, obviously a provision for this would be made with the proposed change. Impba says you can modify the skeg, is this not on the lower unit? My point is, if written correctly, it will be a non-issue.

Guys, lets not forget this is not a 'stock' class, nor has it ever been targeted towards newcomers. For all intents and purposes, its stock appearing class. It brings some of the stiffest competition compared to ANY other tunnel class. Period.

Also, while in theory the OS 'built in' oiler may work well, in practice...not so much. I have broken OS cables using the stock oiler due to lack of lubrication. Like Bob mentioned, this is a way of adding durabilty, not a speed 'secret'.

Keep the [civil] debate going, as of right now I am reading one thing from everyone, but the poll shows something else. Lets here it!!

~James

 

[John Knight]

James

Drilling a hole in the lower unit and putting in a fitting in a K-B lower unit is mod of the lower unit per in rules in impba.

Dave Roach

Bingo and is why he is considering a proposal to IMPBA to address it. Can't currently do it with the rules now.

 

[topfuel443]

To add to the discussion, I just installed a 3rd channel operated motor mount that works extremely well. I can adjust the angle on the fly or trim very small amounts of positive or negative as the race water changes. To me, that is a clear advantage to the guy who cant do that. BUT, its perfectly legal according to the IMPBA sport rules. I can also run a 3rd channel needle, any prop I want, any fuel, any plug etc. These are all things that could have a speed advantage over the next guy.

The oiler, IMHO, adds nothing other than prolonging cable life during a race.

To bring it all together, there is no reason NOT to allow an oiler other than it not being written in the rules that it is legal.

~James

 

[Andy Greene]

Bill - I think you will be surprised at next weeks race that this class does NOT have 99+% OS engines running. That did not occur at the tunnel champs in May. Give a few years you may be right but there are some like Robin Stebbins that will never give up his K&B's.

Robin's just old and stubborn John, we both know that

Good luck guys, give em hell.......... B)

Andy

 

[bzubee]

The K&B is really the only engine that is effected by this proposal I run an oiler on my OS it is under the cowling worrks fine.

 

[Dick Loeb]

I for 1 think the class should be as stated STOCK no internal mods allowed except for head shim removal,mine is Stock and pretty fast.It should be called stock appearing.The oiler only helps a poor design sloppy fit shaft last longer.... I vote YES to external oiler. :unsure: :unsure: :unsure: <_<

 

[moparbarn]

i may be old & stubborn, drew, but that's not why i run k&b's. i just like being that .01% bill mentioned :lol: :lol: . seriously, i started with k&b, & i have so many parts collected that i could prolly run for 4 or 5 years without buying anything other than fuel. it's just simple economics. for me to switch to os would mean starting over from total scratch, motorwise. i own absolutely nothing but .21 k&b's. btw, i vote yes on oilers, all about making things last longer. can also be cheaper, at last year's tunnel champs, i wadded up a flex shaft on my mod vp. pushed the prop back into the water pickup. let's see, prop, shaft, water pickup - about a $60 repair vs a $20 oiler - no brainer, imho.

 

[HTV Boats]

I see oilers as a maintenance and longevity issue not a racing advantage. This class works well with carb and exhaust limitations. Sorry James thats off topic maybe open up another thread for other ideas.

Mic

 

[topfuel443]

No, anytime the word 'sport' is mentioned it usually starts a war about whether it should be a stock class or not. I knew that going in. No big deal. The sport class is what it is, and hopefully will remain that way because it DOES work well.

If someone (moonlighter?) wants to have a true stock class, I am all for that as well. It could be an awesome class. Just have to have a set of rules written up, and MORE importantly, a way to police those rules. That's where the problems come in. The whole 'we could all just be honest' scenario doesnt work either. Never has in any competition, and never will. If someone could come up with a rock solid set of rules and inspection procedures, I would be behind it all the way. Another tunnel class? Heck yeah... sounds fun.

However, for this thread please keep the debate about whether to allow oilers or not. Leave the other stuff for another thread.

~James

 

[Mike Byer]

Is a hidden oiler on a sport class boat legal? I'll just use the squirt of the oil can before the heat like I always have. No changes to the rules, they are perfect the way they were written.

mb

 

[tnrcboatracer]

As long as there are no mods to the lower unit, it is legal.